Smoking Cessation Rate and Its Predictors among Heavy Smokers in a Smoking-Free Hospital in Taiwan

Smoking poses critical risks for heart disease and cancers. Heavy smokers, defined as smoking more than 30 pack-year, are the most important target for smoking cessation. This study aimed to obtain the cessation rate and its predictors among heavy smokers. We collected data from heavy smokers who visited a smoking-free hospital in Taiwan during 2017. All patients were prescribed either varenicline or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation, and their smoking status was followed for six months. Successful smoking cessation was defined by self-reported no smoking over the preceding seven days (7-day point abstinence). In total, 280 participants with a mean aged of 53.5 years were enrolled, and 42.9% of participants successfully stopped smoking in 6 months. The results revealed that quitters were older, with hypertension, fewer daily cigarettes, and being prescribed with varenicline. Multiple logistic regressions analyses identified that fewer daily cigarettes and being prescribed with varenicline were predictors of successful smoking cessation. Therefore, we suggest that varenicline use may help heavy smokers in smoking cessation.

Abstract 13872: Cue Restricted Smoking Increases Quit Rates With Varenicline

Introduction: Varenicline effectively helps smokers quit by reducing withdrawal symptoms and blocking the reward of smoking. However, most quitters return to smoking within 1 year. “Cue-restricted smoking” is a behavioral technique designed to increase quit rates by asking smokers attempting to quit to restrict smoking to the standing position, while alone, in an isolated area facing a wall, with the cigarette as the only stimulus. Hypothesis: We compared the effectiveness of cue-restricted smoking cessation advice versus standard target quit date advice from day 8 of initiating varenicline in smokers making a quit attempt at the Smoking Cessation Service at the Prevention Department of the Heart Institute, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Using retrospective clinic records we compared quit rates in 281 smokers (50% males) instructed in the cue-restricted smoking cessation method during 2016-18 to quit rates in 324 smokers (46% males) advised to completely stop smoking on the target quit date which we previously used during 2011-14. All were prescribed varenicline for 12 weeks alone, with the addition of bupropion if needed after 4 weeks. Follow-up consisted of behavioral support at 4-6 visits during active drug treatment and telephone counselling at 24 and 52 weeks. The smoking cessation rate was confirmed with expired carbon monoxide at the 12-week clinic visit and only by telephone at 52 weeks. Results: The mean age of smokers was 49 ±12 years both groups and the number of cigarettes smoked daily was similar (18/day in the cue-restricted versus 19/day in the target quit day group). The smoking cessation rate at 12 weeks was 75% in the cue-restricted versus 45% in the target quit day group (relative risk 1.8; 95% confidence interval 1.4-2.2; p<0.001). At 52 weeks the quit rate was 65% vs 34% respectively (relative risk 1.9; 95% confidence interval 1.5-2.4; p<0.001). Conclusion: Cue restricted smoking substantially increased the chance of quitting compared with standard advice during treatment with varenicline . These results should be further studied in a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract 12725: Smokers Are Aware of Their Health Risk

Background: Health checkup results, even if 12-lead ECG and chest X-ray are included, usually do not reflect risk of smoking and it may lead smokers to continue smoking. Therefore, to show specific risk amount of smoking, 10-year cardiovascular (CV) risks were calculated with and without smoking at the same level of other risk factors and the information was sent to the smokers. Smoking cessation rate was compared between smokers with and without the information. Methods: In subjects who had the annual health checkup offered to adult citizens of Moriguchi city, Osaka, Japan in 2018, the brochure which included the 2 values of 10-year CV risks calculated by the Framingham risk score (2008) based on the results of the health checkup was sent to male smokers aged 40 between 74 with no history of CV disease and the 10-year CV risk between 10% and 40%. Male smokers with the same condition were extracted from subjects who had the annual health checkup in 2017 as the control subjects. Smoking cessation was evaluated at the health checkup next year. Results: The brochure was sent to 499 smokers in 2018 and 344 of those received the health checkup in 2019. The 10-year CV risk of smokers was 1.80±0.05 times higher than that of non-smokers at the same level of other risk factors. As the control subjects, 568 smokers were extracted from 2017 checkup and 407 of those received the health checkup in 2018. Clinical characteristics of the 2018 checkup (n=344) and the 2017 checkup (n=407) groups were similar in terms of age, clinical risk factors, duration of smoking and number of cigarettes smoked per day. Smoking cessation rate of the 2018 checkup group next year was 7.0% while that of the 2017 checkup group was 7.1%. By the logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, duration of smoking and number of cigarettes smoked per day, smoking cessation rate of the 2018 checkup group was not higher than that of the 2017 checkup group (odds ratio=0.97, 95% confidence interval=0.55 to 1.71, p=0.9131). Conclusions: Showing specific amount of risk by smoking was not helpful for smoking cessation. Most smokers seem to be aware of the risk. To promote smoking cessation, interventions such as increased price of cigarette and/or limitation of smoking area may be more practical than emphasizing health hazards of smoking.

Change in smoking behaviour of people who suffer from respiratory disease

OBJECTIVE: To analyse smoking behaviour in patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary TB (PTB).METHODS: The study population comprised 421 inpatients newly diagnosed with NSCLC, COPD and PTB at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China, and 362 healthy individuals (controls) recruited from September 2016 to March 2017. All participants were current smokers. After enrolment, the subjects were invited to participate in face-to-face interviews to complete the self-designed questionnaire. A follow-up survey was performed 2 years later.RESULTS: Two years after being diagnosed, patients with NSCLC, COPD and PTB had smoking cessation rates of respectively 76.8%, 62.8% and 63.7%. The cessation rate was only 10.2% in the control group (P < 0.01). The difficulty of smoking cessation after diagnosis in patients with the three diseases was significantly decreased (P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: The smoking cessation rate among participants suffering from NSCLC, COPD and PTB increased after diagnosis compared with that before diagnosis, and was significantly higher than the control group of healthy individuals.

Smoking abstinence 1 year after acute coronary syndrome in Tunisian adults

Background In Tunisia, coronary heart disease(CHD) is the first cause of mortality, accounting one third (33.23%) of total deaths in 2017. Although smoking cessation is the most effective CHD prevention strategy, quitting smoking is difficult and two thirds of patients return to smoking within 1 year of their acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The present study aimed to evaluate the smoking cessation rate and to assess predictors of smoking abstinence in patients with ACS, one year after hospital discharge. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted in the Cardiology Department and Smoking Cessation Service at University Hospital of Monastir, Tunisia from January 2015 to December 2017. During their hospitalization, all patients in the sample received individual therapeutic education including a motivational interview. The follow-up were carried out by clinic visits every two weeks. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent predictors of smoking abstinence. The statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS software, version 21.0. A p value of &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 288 smoking patients were included in our study. All participants were male and the mean age was 55 ± 11 years. More than half (55.4%) of patients had a high level of nicotine dependence. Successful smoking cessation rate was 35.7 % [95% confidence interval (CI): 29.4-42.5%]. Independent predictors of smoking abstinence were: therapeutic adherence (odds ratio(OR): 13.8, p &lt; 0.001), the level of nicotinic dependence (OR: 0.26, p = 0.02), the length of stay in the ICU (OR: 8.31, p = 0.001) and diabetic status (OR: 4.54, p = 0.01). Conclusions This study for smoking cessation highlights the importance to generalize our protocol for all Tunisian patient with cardiovascular risk. Key messages Smoking cessation is the most effective coronary heart disease prevention strategy. More efforts are required to improve smoking cessation in patients with cardiovascular risk.

Tobacco Cessation and Referral to the National Quitline

Background: Smoking is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. The rates of smoking remain elevated in rural, low income populations in comparison with the rest of the United States. Thus, prompting the process improvement project of implementing the Ask–Advise–Connect (AAC) method to the national quitline in a nurse practitioner–managed clinic for an automotive manufacturing plant in rural Tennessee. Methods: Ask–Advise–Connect method was added to the current smoking cessation program. The employees who utilized the clinic were assessed for smoking status at each visit and subsequently counseled on cessation. Individuals interested in cessation were connected to the national quitline with the AAC method. Pharmaceutical options and nicotine replacement therapy was also offered at no cost to the employee. Findings: In the 4-month period, the clinic provided 102 tobacco cessation counseling visits to workers who smoke. Twenty-four employees enrolled in the cessation program. The participants reported a cessation rate of 12.5% and 21% had a significant decrease in the number of cigarettes smoked. Of the participants, 12.5% ( n = 3) engaged in behavioral counseling with the quitline. Conclusion/application to practice: The addition of the AAC method as part of the smoking cessation program had limited success. As smoking cessation is difficult to achieve, any success greater than 7% can be considered an achievement. The 12.5% cessation rate of the participants was above the national average. Thus, demonstrating the benefit of having a workplace cessation program and incorporating the AAC method to the current smoking cessation program.

Association of e-cigarette use and smoking cessation among Canadian young adult smokers: secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial

AimsThis study examined the reasons for e-cigarette (EC) use, changes in self-efficacy and association between EC use and cessation of tobacco among Canadian young adult smokers over a 6-month period.MethodsA secondary analysis was conducted using data from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of young adult Canadian smokers. EC exposure was defined as persistent, transient and non-use of ECs at baseline and follow-up. The association between EC exposure and cessation was examined using logistic regression and adjusting for co-variates.ResultsAt 6-month follow-up, persistent EC use was associated with a lower cessation rate (13%) than transient (23%) or non-use (29%). After adjusting for covariates, non-use and transient use were associated with higher odds of cessation than persistent use (AOR = 3.23, 95% CI = 1.41–7.40, P < 0.01; AOR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.01–5.58, P < 0.05). At 6-month follow-up, persistent users (68%) had high self-efficacy as compared to transient (15%) or non-use (12%). Top reasons for EC use included use as a quit aid (67%), perceived use as less harmful (52%) and taste (32%).ConclusionsAmong young adult Canadian smokers enrolled in a RCT of a cessation intervention, persistent and transient use of ECs was associated with a lower smoking cessation rate at 6 months.